


Feverfew

by Cotton_bear_blue



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: F/M, Multi, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-05
Updated: 2019-03-10
Packaged: 2019-11-12 07:48:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18006782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cotton_bear_blue/pseuds/Cotton_bear_blue
Summary: (Y/N) Sullivan saves Arthur's life and in turn she gets introduced into a whole new world. She's quickly learning that sometimes the best people are the easiest to judge and not everything is as simple as it seems. It's a good thing Arthur is there to guide her along.This story will be updated weekly at LEAST!There will also be hella whump/comfort between Arthur and the reader so strap in buckaroos!





	1. Stranger in the Snow

The bitter winds of the Grizzlies’ harsh storm seemed to rip right through you, chilling you to the bone. You pulled your wooly coat collar up and curled into your horse a little, hoping to block out some of the some of the snow. It didn’t help much. If you were this cold with all your layers, you couldn’t even imagine how your horse felt. 

Good ol’ Doof. 

Your family had been going through a tough time when the white Shire had been born. Your mother would always joke with you, saying you should name him food if your situation got any worse. Food had seemed like a cruel joke to name a horse, so you flipped it backwards and Doof soon became your best friend. He wasn’t the fastest horse; or to be honest the brightest either. However, he was a sweet and sturdy stallion that you could always rely on. 

It was times like these that you were actually quite thankful that he was as big as he was. A smaller horse might’ve had a harder time pushing through the heavy snow in front of you, but it didn’t seem to bother Doof too much. 

Uncurling your frozen fingers, you gave the big horse a pat on the neck, encouraging him along. He whinnied in panic, but it wasn’t from your sudden touch; something had spooked him. It was difficult to hear over the howling wind, but one sound seemed to catch your attention. A lone howl echoed off the mountains around you.

Wolves. 

The howl was quickly followed by several others and Doof jittered nervously beneath you. 

“Easy, boy.” You calmly spoke, soothing him slightly. 

The crack of several gunshots echoed in the sky above you and you felt your stomach drop. Someone must have been ambushed by a pack nearby. Despite his protests, you urged Doof toward the noise and pulled your rifle close to your body, ready to shoot. There was no way you were letting someone die from those animals if you could do something about it. 

The howls and barks became clearer and louder as you got closer. Once you spotted the first wolf, you jumped of your horse and yelled for him to run off. You didn’t need him getting attacked on your behalf for a quick getaway. Doof happily obliged and hightailed it out of the chaos. 

Aiming quickly, you raised the gun and leveled it with the first wolf’s head. He didn’t even get a chance to look up before your bullet pierced his skull, killing him instantly. You then shot down a second, clipping it’s side and sending it limping off with a yelp.

An anguished cry caught your attention and you ran through the thick snow to investigate. The sight before you almost made you sick. 

Three wolves lay scattered at the scene, crimson staining the snow around their lifeless carcasses. At the base of a large boulder, a man was struggling to fight off the biggest wolf you had ever seen. The wolf had him pinned to the ground and was easily keeping him there due to its sheer size. The stranger was fighting desperately to keep his rifle wedged between the deadly teeth. It was clear that the man was trying everything he could to keep the wolf from clamping down on his neck, but it seemed he was losing the battle. Small blood splatters soaked through the snow around him revealing that he had been injured in the struggle.

He let out a pained grunt as the wolf clamped down onto his shoulder and gave him a rough shake. If you didn’t act now, this man was going to die. However, without a clear shot, you would be risking the chance of hitting the man instead. You needed that wolf to move away from him in order to shoot.

“Hey!” You shouted stupidly and raised your gun once again. 

The wolf had quickly turned, lifting its lip into a menacing blood stained snarl. His eyes locked with yours, only for a split second before he left his prey, bolting right at you.   
Shit. You hadn’t quite thought this out. 

You fired one shot right into the beast’s shoulder, hardly phasing it. Before you could fire another shot, the animal lunged. You raised your arm on instinct to protect yourself but instantly regretted the decision. You felt the wolf’s sharp canines pierce right through your thick coat and sink into your skin as easy as butter. You didn’t even have time to scream as you were pinned to the ground in the next instant. 

The next few seconds were a blur to you. You remember kicking and yelling, trying to shove the thing off. A sharp crack splitting the air. Blood splattering over yourself. Then finally a massive weight limply collapsing on top of your body. 

It took a few moments to realize you were still breathing. Somehow, miraculously, you were alive. You shoved the dead animal off your body and rolled onto your stomach, limbs still shaky from the ordeal. It took another moment for you to catch your breath after the exhausting struggle. 

You had been so focused on steadying your own breathing that you had all but forgotten that you weren’t alone. 

“You okay, miss?”

You turned your head at his sudden words and found the man standing now. Well… standing would be an overstatement. He was slouched over himself slightly, leaning his weight against the boulder. Gun in hand, still smoking from the shot which had killed the wolf. Even from the distance you were at, you could tell he was in a bad state. His breathing was ragged and it seemed to take everything he had just to stay upright. 

Pulling yourself up and shuffling your way through the thick snow, you moved over to where he was. You slung your gun back over your shoulder and looked down at your injured arm. You tried to inspect your wound, but there was so much blood over your coat it was hard to tell what was yours and what belonged to the wolf. You decided you would just get yourself checked out back at the cabin. 

“I’m alright…thanks to you. You saved my life.” 

The man let out a humored snort, but a sudden pained groan cut him off. His hand instinctively reached up for his shoulder and the other went back to the boulder to steady himself. 

Your expression softened into concern and you put your hand gently on the one he had pressed against his shoulder. Your (Y/EC) eyes met his icy ones in a silent question if you could see his injury. 

The man hesitated, eyeing you over with slight suspicion. Finally, he decided you weren’t much of a threat to him and he dropped his hand back down to his side. That was most likely as much of an invitation you were going to get to take a look at the bite wound.

“He got you good, didn’t he?” You said quietly after a few moments. 

The man merely grunted in response before falling silent again.

You noticed his gaze occasionally drifting over to a small patch of trees not far from where you were standing. Frowning slightly, you left his side and walked a few paces closer to see what was distracting him so much. That’s when you felt your stomach drop for what felt like the hundredth time today. A beautiful golden mare lay still in the snow, no doubt another victim from the wolves. 

“Oh.” 

You looked down at the snow before slowly turning back to the man. He was in the same position you had left him in, eyes scrunched shut from his injuries. You made your way back to him and whistled for your horse. Doof appeared within a few minutes and skidded to a stop right next to you. 

“Let’s get you outta this storm before it gets any worse.” You told him quietly. 

The man slowly opened his eyes, a confused look taking the place of his pained one. 

“Look…miss, I ‘preciate you stepping in, but I can…I can take it from here.” He seemed to have a hard time getting words out from his slurred sentences and raspy breathing.   
This man was going to die if he was left out here in the elements; especially with those injuries. Why was he being stubborn at a time like this?

“I’m sure you could, but please let me take you to my cabin just until this storm blows over. No one should be out in this cold.” 

The stranger seemed to dull the thought over for a minute. Either that or he was losing consciousness. Maybe a bit of both you decided.

“I’d greatly appreciate that Miss.”

“(Y/N)” you quickly corrected him. “Please, call me “(Y/N).”

“Morgan.” He replied gruffly. “M’ name’s Arthur Morgan.” 

You gave him a small smile and offered him a hand to help him onto your horse. 

“It’s a pleasure, Mr. Morgan.” You helped him onto the front of the saddle before climbing up behind him and grabbing the reigns. “I’m sorry we had to meet under such circumstances.”

Arthur mumbled something in response but his quiet words were drowned out by the howling winds. You spurred your boots into Doof’s side and with a quick ‘Yap!’ the two of you sped off into the storm.


	2. You'll be okay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Y/N) patches up Arthur in her cabin but she's not too professional about it. Who said cooking ingredients and medicine can't go hand in hand?

Your cabin had only been a few miles out from where you were, but it seemed to take hours to get there. The dying man in the saddle in front of you did nothing to ease to pit of worry in your stomach either. 

“You still with me Mr. Morgan?”

You snuck a glance over his shoulder to see the man with his eyes closed, listing to one side. He either didn’t hear you or he must’ve lost consciousness at this point. Either way, things weren’t looking all that good. 

“Mr. Morgan?” You tried again and gave him a gentle shake. 

This time his eyes fluttered open slightly and he adjusted himself on the saddle, centering himself again. 

“…Arthur.” He quietly corrected you. 

“Right, sorry.” You could make out your cabin through the blur of the snow and gave him and excited nudge. “We’re almost there! You’ve gotta stay awake though, Arthur. I don’t know if I can’t get you inside by myself.”

Arthur hummed in acknowledgement. “I’ll do m’ best.”

Once the cabin was in sight, it only took a matter of minutes before you arrived at the front door. Quickly dismounting your horse, you tied his reigns to the porch rail and turned back to help Arthur off the horse. His blood had matted Doof’s fur and some of the saddle which he had been riding on, making you realize just how bad his injuries were. 

“Arthur?” You questioned tentatively, “You need help?”

Arthur shook his head and slowly swung one leg over the back of the saddle. His breath hitched in discomfort and he paused a moment before sliding off the saddle to the ground below. As soon as his feet touched the snow, his legs buckled beneath him and he would’ve fallen had you not been there to catch him. 

“Woah, easy.” You pulled one of his arms around your shoulder, wincing at how the movement strained your own injury. “Just a few steps, yeah? We’re almost there.” 

Arthur was breathing heavily and couldn’t help himself when his body weight slumped against you for support. You could tell he was fighting to stay awake, not even able to bring himself to respond to your soft assurances. 

The few steps it took to get inside were slow, but before long you were both safe and warm with the door shut behind you. 

The cabin itself wasn’t much. It had two bedrooms and one main living area which also served as a kitchen. A few pictures were hung on the walls of your family and a Woven rug lay before the fireplace. 

Leading him to your bedroom, you helped him sit down onto the bed before tugging off his boots. His coat would be hard to get off without aggravating his injury, but he’d need it off in order to warm up and for you to inspect his wound. Before you could properly formulate a plan, Arthur’s head lolled to the side and he slumped over in an unconscious state.

“Arthur?” Your voiced hitched a little and you grabbed his face with your hands, looking for any kind of reaction. “Hey Arthur, c’mon now!” 

Your panicked pleas were never received with an answer. 

Grabbing a hunting knife from your shelf, you quickly got to work cutting the fabric of his coat off. You would just have to apologize to him when he woke up… If he woke up. 

Once you had gotten his coat off his body, you did the same with his shirt, leaving him nude from the waist up. Thankfully, aside from his shoulder wound, his other injuries didn’t seem severe. He would need a few stitches here and there, but it was nothing to worry about. His shoulder on the other hand was a different story. 

The skin had been shredded, leaving it hard to tell muscle from skin. Blood still lazily oozed out and began to pool in a small circle on your sheets. 

Shit. Shitshitshit.

You weren’t a doctor! How were you supposed to help him? 

Grabbing a bottle of whisky from the kitchen, you raced back and doused the wound, causing Arthur to groan in his dazed state. Good! Now it was disinfected…well, sort of. But that was the first step, right?

Next you got to work sewing up the worst of the cuts on his body, focusing on his shoulder first before moving to the less serious ones. Once, you had cleaned up the blood and looked down at your delicate stitches across his skin, you frowned after noticing his shoulder was still bleeding a little. That’s when a genius idea popped into your head. 

Well genius might’ve been an overstatement. Maybe moronic would be a better term? 

You grabbed a handful of flour from your kitchen before gently patting it down onto the bleeding area. To your surprise, the flour started to clot with the blood, stopping the flow. Once you were satisfied, you finished wrapping his shoulder up in gauze and slid a pillow under his head. 

Arthur mumbled something incoherent before drifting back into unconsciousness, his blood now staying inside his body all thanks to some goddamn flour. 

You draped a few blankets over his body to keep him warm before returning to the living room and lighting a fire.

Your arm was starting to throb now, a nagging reminder that you had been injured as well. Grimacing, you peeled off your jacket and rolled up your sleeve to get a look at it. The wound could use stitches, but you knew there was no way you’d be able to give them to yourself. You were tough, but not that tough. Besides, the bite marks went deeper than they did wide, so you’d most likely be fine if you just kept it clean. 

You rinsed off the injury and pulled out the single bottle of medicine you had. Looking down at the small yellow bottle, you thought about downing the liquid. It would certainly help, but you decided against taking any. If Arthur was going to make it through the night, he needed this far more than you did. You set the bottle down on the counter and decided to give it to Arthur once he woke up. 

The rest of the evening had been fairly uneventful compared to the chaos before. You led Doof back into the stable, cleaned off the blood from his pristine fur and gave him water and food before tucking him inside for the night. 

After heading back inside, you bandaged up your arm the best you could with your limited supplies. It wasn’t a huge improvement, but it looked better seeing the clean gauze over your arm instead of the gory wound underneath. After putting on clean clothes and washing your face, you felt brand new.

It hard already become dark outside of the cabin, leaving the fire to cast a warm and calming glow on everything inside. Picking up the medicine from the counter, you slowly opened your bedroom door to find Arthur awake and sitting upright against the bed. 

“Arthur! You’re alive!” You exclaimed excitedly and ran over to his side. 

“I think that makes it twice now that you’ve saved my life, Miss (Y/N).” He offered you the faintest of smiles, but you could tell he was still tired and in pain. 

“No need to keep score, I’m just glad you’re alright.” You sat down at the foot of the bed and handed him the small yellow bottle. “Drink this, it should help you with the pain some.”

Arthur nodded and used his good arm to grab the bottle and drink about half of it. “Thank you.”

Now that his mind wasn’t all fogged up and groggy, he noticed how young you looked. Definitely not a child, but it seemed odd for a woman your age to be living up here by yourself. 

“(Y/N), how old are you?” He asked bluntly. 

The question threw you off guard, and you blinked a few times before answering.

“19.” 

Arthur nodded like he already knew what you would say, but he still seemed a bit perplexed. 

“And you’re livin’ up here all by yourself?” 

You nodded slowly, casting your gaze absently to floor for a moment. “Yeah.” You gave him a small smile and pushed a strand of hair out of your face before tucking it behind your ear. “I used to share this cabin with my parents, but they passed about a year ago.”

It was easier to talk about now, but Arthur didn’t miss the small tremble in your voice as you spoke about them. 

“You almost shared the same fate as them, ya know? Wolves…wolves can be unforgiving creatures up here.” 

Now it was Arthur’s turn to look down, “I’m sorry t’ hear that, Miss (Y/N).” 

“It’s alright. I mean, I’ve been making do since then. I’ve got Doof to keep me company.”

At the thought of your buffoon of a horse, a grin spread across your face. Who would’ve thought a plow horse could make someone so happy? Yet he could always manage to cheer you up, always nudging your face for attention or nibbling playfully at your hair. 

“You named your horse…Doof?” Arthur almost laughed and for the first time since you met him, you saw him smile. 

“Yeah, he’s not the brightest but he’s one of the best out there.” You giggled and brought your legs up on the bed, folding them in front of you.

“You ain’t plannin’ on having kids are you? I don’t think they’d forgive you for whatever you decide to call them.”

You laughed and shook your head. “No kids Mr. Morgan. Not a whole lot of decent fellas up here to choose from. Or… well, people in general.” 

Arthur shook his head and started to say something, but he was cut of by a small groan as he moved his shoulder wrong. Right. You had enjoyed talking with him so much that you had forgotten why he was there. 

“You should probably rest now Arthur. If you’re feeling up to it, we can talk more in the morning.” 

He nodded his head and slowly lowered himself back to laying down. “I suppose your right.”

You got up from the bed and were at the doorway when his voice called your attention back.

“Goodnight Miss (Y/N). and um…thank you…for everything.” 

You smiled before blowing out the candle in his room, “Goodnight Arthur, I'm glad you're okay.”


	3. Suspicions Arise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur begins to doubt the intentions of his rescuer after they go missing in the morning. Now it's time to decide, are you a friend or a foe?

Arthur awoke the next morning to find himself almost suffocated by the number of blankets that surrounded him. There hadn’t been this many when he fell asleep, had there? He shoved them off his body with a small wince as he jolted his shoulder and sat up.

It was still early, the soft orange light of the sunrise just beginning to brighten the room. Arthur scratched his neck, suddenly aware that half his clothes were missing from his body. Looking around for his missing items, he spotted a beer bottle and a note sitting on the side table next to him. He eagerly drank from the bottle, only to be mildly disappointed that it had been refilled with water instead. Frowning, he picked up the note and read.

 

 

Arthur,

I hope you’re feeling a little better this morning. Sorry about your coat, it seemed like a nice one. I found some of Daddy’s old clothes and thought they might fit you. Drink the rest of that medicine and rest up. I’ll be back before noon.

(Y/N)

 

 

Setting the note back on the desk, Arthur did as instructed and finished off the medicine, nearly gagging at the bitter taste. It took him longer than usual, but soon he was dressed in the new clothes and walking around.

Sure enough, as he walked around the empty cabin, you were nowhere in sight. Confused as to where you possibly could’ve gone, a million thoughts began racing through Arthur’s head.

You could be out hunting? After all, it seemed like you were no stranger to guns.

Or maybe you knew who he was and went to get the police?

Arthur wanted to trust this girl, he really did. However, he also knew trust was a stupid thing to put faith in, especially in a stranger he hardly knew.  
Looking around the cabin, he took in the items around the house. It would be easy to rob you blind and hightail it out of there. That would ensure you couldn’t bring the law to him.

But…

On the other hand, he had no horse now which would mean he would have to travel on foot.

After debating with himself for what seemed to be the better half of the morning, Arthur had made his decision.

He would stay.

If worse came to worse, he could always shoot his way out of the situation.

Despite your order to rest, Arthur didn’t want to stay in that bed any longer than he had to. He wandered around the room aimlessly, looking at photos and taking in any information he could to learn more about you.

Everything seemed relatively normal except for the spare bedroom.

Arthur had assumed you slept in there over the night, but once he walked inside, the room was bare. No bed, No dresser, not even a picture hung anywhere. The empty room only made Arthur further question who exactly you were.

He walked back out, being careful to close the door behind him and leave everything the way it had been. No sooner than he had left the room, you came through the front door with a large bag.

“Arthur!” You exclaimed happily, “You seem to be doing better.”

He nodded his head in response, “Doing fine, besides the fact that I woke up with 50 blankets suffocatin’ me this morning.”

You looked sheepishly down and laughed, “Sorry, I know it gets cold up here. Thought it might help with healing if you stayed warm.”

“No need for apologies Miss (Y/N), It was mighty kind of you.” Arthur leaned over a little to get a better look at the bag slung over your shoulder. “I ain’t trying to pry, but where’d you mosey off to this morning?” You didn’t miss the slight hint of suspicion in his voice as he spoke.

“Oh! Well, I uh…” You trailed off for a moment as you let the bag slip of your shoulder before handing it to Arthur. “Here. This is for you.”

Arthur’s brows knit together in confusion before he took the bag and peered inside.

All his belongs were there; his journal, his binoculars, his satchel, and everything he had previously had before he had been attacked by the wolves. He stared at it incredulously before lifting his gaze back to you.

“You… went back for my stuff?”

Awkwardly running a hand through your hair, you nodded, “Yeah, I mean I figured you might need some of your belongings and today seemed as nice a day as any to go get it. I tried to get your saddle too but it was too hard to carry while riding and I had to leave it behind. But I can always go back and-“

“(Y/N)” Arthur cut you off, “Thank you.”

He felt terrible. Here he had been, thinking you were running off to get the law. Hell, he even considered robbing you while you were away! But you had been out helping him… going back into the wilderness just for a damn satchel. It was a concept Arthur wasn’t quite used to.

You grinned and shook your head, “It was no big deal. I’m just glad I could find it before someone else did.”

Arthur set the bag down by the table and you thought you could see the faintest glimpse of a smile pull at his lips. There were a few beats of silence before you pulled up a chair next to him and gestured for him to sit.

“Mind if I check out your uh…” You gestured to his shoulder and pulled up another chair for yourself.

“Sure.” He nodded and sat down before carefully pulling the button-down shirt off on one side to expose the bandage.

You got to work, unraveling the gauze till the stitches met the open air again. Arthur turned his head to look at his shoulder, frowning slightly when he saw some white powder resting on his skin. He took a finger and touched it gently before inspecting the powder closer.

“The hell is this?”

You stopped what you were doing and hesitantly looked at him.

“Flour.”

“…Flour?”

“Yes.”

Thinking about it, flour made sense if you were trying to stop the bleeding. He just hoped it wouldn’t infect his wound. Arthur blinked a few times before letting out a quiet chuckle, “Miss (Y/N), I think you’re just about the strangest woman I’ve ever met.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment, I guess.”

Once Arthur’s shoulder was cleaned up some and dressed in fresh bandages, it had started to grow dark outside again. The question of the mysterious empty room had been nagging Arthur all morning and finally he decided to ask about it.

“Miss (Y/N), did I take your bed last night?” He questioned.

You nodded your head as you started up another fire for the night, “Yeah, but it’s alright. I was nice and cozy sleeping by the fire last night.”

“You slept on the ground?”

Once again you nodded before turning back to him, “It’s not as bad as it sounds.”

Playing dumb, Arthur leaned back in his chair and folded his arms, “Why not sleep in that other room? Isn’t there a bed in there?”

You shook your head and sat back at the table across from him, “There’s not much in there. I sold a lot of the furniture for money and I used the blankets to make a coat for Doof.”

Arthur frowned slightly, “You made a coat…for a damn horse?”

“What? He gets cold!” You defended and folded your arms as well. “Its more of a blanket than a coat though. Mama was always the better seamstress than I was, but I think it keeps him a little warmer.”

Arthur shook his head and thought back to the suspicions he had earlier had about you. Maybe he had judged you wrong. After all, so far you had been nothing but good to him.

“You’ve got a kind heart (Y/N).”

His sudden compliment made you blush slightly, “I try to.”

There were a few moments of silence where you both sat and drank some coffee you had previously brewed before Arthur spoke again.

  
“(Y/N), have you ever heard of the Van Der Linde Gang?”

You thought for a moment before shaking your head. You never went into town much and hardly ever picked up a newspaper. For the most part you had just lived in isolation up in the wilderness. It’s what you were used to.

“Well, I’m a part of that gang.” Arthur started slowly. “We ain’t… exactly good people. We rob, steal, sometimes even kill. Do what we have to in order to get by.”

He studied your face for any reaction, but was surprised only to find you interested in his story.

“Living up here by yourself, well… it ain’t exactly safe. To be honest I’m surprised you’ve lasted this long. Now, I saw how you handled yourself back there with the wolves and we could use a good shot like yourself. We could keep you safe, fed, looked after I guess. You could have a new start with us… that is if you wanted.”

You thought about his offer, considering the pros and cons of it. You had been finding it hard to get by lately. Money was low and animals weren’t too plentiful up here. Maybe this could be a good thing. Maybe a new start was just what you needed.

"That... actually doesn't sound that bad. But what could I do? I mean, I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm not exactly outlaw material."

Arthur gently placed his hand on your shoulder, "Don't you worry about that, Miss (Y/N). We can figure it out later."

You chewed your lip in silence, once again considering your options.

"And.. I can bring Doof too?"

"Yeah, you can bring your mountain of a horse." Arthur said with a small smile.

"Alright. Count me in."


	4. The Ride to Valentine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur and (Y/N) head back to Valentine
> 
> Short chapter! Next will be longer

The first thing you registered when you woke up was pain.

Not an intense knife in the gut sort of pain, but a throbbing, hot, burning pain in your arm. You gently lifted your injury to inspect it, only to notice that it didn’t just seem hot; it was hot. Hovering your hand over the wound, you could feel heat radiating off it. 

Was it infected?

No. Maybe that was just your body’s way of healing?

You tried to think optimistically and not dwell too much on it. Besides, you couldn’t deal with this now. Today was the day you were supposed to leave for Valentine with Arthur. After you had accepted his offer, you both decided to wait one more day so Arthur could recover more before making the ride back to his camp. 

It was amazing really. 

When you had first met him, he had been barely clinging to consciousness. Now, aside from the occasional wince, he was up and moving around like nothing had ever happened.

You pushed yourself up off the ground from your spot by the fireplace. It didn’t seem like Arthur was up yet, the door to your room still closed and silent. He had tried to insist that you sleep in the bed last night and he would sleep in the living room. However, you were more stubborn than he was, refusing and pointing out that he was still healing. 

While Arthur still slept, you went out to the barn and saddled up Doof. He seemed just as eager as you were to be leaving, restlessly pawing at the ground and nickering. Giving him a loving pat, you fed him a carrot and led him to the front of the cabin. You had just finished tying his reigns to the porch when Arthur appeared in the door way. 

“Miss (Y/N)? You’re up early.”

You nodded with a small grin, “Just excited, I guess. If we leave early, we should have no trouble making it to Valentine before nightfall.”

Arthur nodded and pulled his hat a little further down, “Ready whenever you are.”

“I’m ready! I just need to grab my things.” 

You disappeared inside the cabin and picked up your bag, jumping back with a hiss as material brushed against your inflamed arm. 

Shit. 

Maybe it was getting infected. 

“(Y/N)? You okay?” Arthur called from outside the door.

“Yeah!” You easily lied before picking up the bag, carefully this time. “Just stubbed my toe.”

Arthur gave you a skeptical look which you refused to acknowledge as you attached your bag to the saddle. You swung your leg over the back of your mount and offered a hand to Arthur. He took it and situated himself on the saddle behind you. 

Arthur didn’t seem too pleased to be on the back of the saddle while you had the reigns in front of him. ‘My horse, my rules’ You had insisted. While the scenario may seem humiliating for Arthur, you knew it would be best for his shoulder if he could just let it rest.

Arthur didn’t see it that way, grumbling under his breath, “Can’t believe I’m being rode into camp by some damn-” 

“What? A woman?” You cut him off with a smirk.

“By a damn kid.” He corrected you.

You grinned and gave Doof a click to signal he should start moving out. “I’m not a kid!” you protested, “If you prefer to walk alongside us, you’re more than welcome.” 

Arthur rolled his eyes and kept his mouth shut.

The two of you rode for a few hours; you talking about your family and him talking about the gang members back in Valentine. It was clear from the way Arthur spoke about them, that he was more fond of some over the others. The names Dutch, John, Hosea, and Charles stuck out to you the most and you made a mental note to try and meet them once you arrived at camp. 

The more Arthur recalled his adventures with the men, the more you became excited to meet them. He even told you about some of the women at the camp, which secretly made you feel better knowing you wouldn’t be the lone female there. He had just started telling you about Jack when a searing pain shot through your arm where you had been bitten earlier. 

“A-Arthur?” You hesitantly cut him off in his story, “Would you mind taking the reigns for a bit? I’m just getting a little sore.”

“Sore? You alright, (Y/N)?” Arthur frowned as your horse came to a stop.

“Yeah, yeah of course! Just could use a break, that’s all.” You and Arthur slid off Doof’s back and he looked you over with concern. 

“Of course. You rest awhile.”

You nodded and got back onto your horse, hands gently wrapping around Arthur’s waist so you wouldn’t fall off.

“Hey, at least this way you won’t ride into camp clinging to some kid.” You joked, lightening the mood. 

He grinned and spurred Doof onward, “I suppose you’re right. Not only have you saved my life, but now my dignity too.”


	5. Unwelcomed guest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not everyone is thrilled about adding a new member to the gang.

It only took another hour before you arrived in Valentine. By now, your arm had grown accustomed to the constant throbbing, only making it painful when you moved it wrong.

Arthur rode right through town and continued on the path until he veered right into the trees. 

“Who goes there?” A gruff, hostile voice called out. You couldn’t see the man, but he didn’t sound like someone you wanted to mess with. 

“Calm down, it’s Arthur.” Arthur hollered back, not even bothering to slow down. 

Soon the trees opened up into a small clearing. There were tents scattered around, the smell of food in the air and about ten people gathered around the fire. Their attention quickly turned to you and Arthur as you rode up to the edge of camp. Several excitedly greeted Arthur upon his arrival.

“Arthur! Where the hell have you been?” A tall man with a black hair and a fancy red vest left the fire to approach you as Arthur hitched your horse and helped you off. The man’s eyes narrowed at you ever so slightly once he noticed you were there. “And you’ve brought a guest?”

Arthur nodded and took your hand, leading you to where the man stood, before letting go. “(Y/N), this is Dutch. Dutch, (Y/N).” 

The suspicion melted away from Dutch’s face as Arthur introduced you, “Welcome (Y/N), It’s a pleasure.” 

You politely smiled back and shook his hand, “Pleasure’s all mine, Mr. Van Der Linde.” 

“You know who I am?” He questioned and gave Arthur an accusing look before returning his gaze to you. You couldn’t tell if you were terrified of him or not, but the man practically radiated authority.

“A little. Arthur was telling me how much he looked up to you on the way here.” 

That answer seemed to please Dutch as much as it did embarrass Arthur. “How kind, Arthur.” Dutch teased him and gave him a gentle shove. Arthur let out a short hiss in response which quickly caught Dutch’s attention. “Son? You alright?”

Arthur nodded and lowered his voice a little. “I was ambushed by wolves out in the Grizzlies. They got Thistle after she kicked me off. If it weren’t for Miss (Y/N) they would’ve got me too. I had to rest at her cabin a few days as she tended to me.” 

Blushing slightly, you looked at the ground. You didn’t deserve too much credit. All you had done was get yourself attacked too and dragged a half dead stranger to your cabin. 

“Miss (Y/N),” Dutch gently gripped your shoulder which snapped your attention back to him. “Thank you for bringing our boy back."

You nodded, feeling the blush burn at your cheeks. “It was nothing, I’m glad I could help.” 

Dutch gestured for you both to follow him to the fire. “Please come sit! You two must be exhausted.” You looked to Arthur and he gave you a small smile before patting your back, assuring you it would be fine. 

“Everybody!” Dutch announced, grabbing everyone’s attention. “This here is Miss (Y/N)…” 

He looked to you before you chirped in, “Sullivan.” 

“This is Miss (Y/N) Sullivan and she will be our guest here for as long as she likes. I expect you all to welcome her and make her feel at home.” He then turned to Arthur and gave a small nod towards his tent. “Let’s get you checked out, son. I’ll have Ms. Grimshaw come take a look at that shoulder.” Dutch and Arthur disappeared into a big tent leaving you by the fire. 

“(Y/n)!” A cheerful voice piped up, “You can come sit by me!” A girl around your age with a face full of freckles smiled and waved you over. Gracious for the friendly invite, you sat down next to her as she offered you a bowl of stew. 

“My name is Mary Beth.” She introduced herself, “This is Tilly, Karen, and Abigail.” The ones she introduced as Tilly and Abigail both gave you a small wave and Karen nodded at you before throwing back her beer. 

“It’s nice to meet you all.” It had been so long since you had interacted with another woman, that you had almost forgotten how nice it was. “Thank you, Mary Beth.” The stew wasn’t great, but it kept you warm and your stomach full, so you were grateful for that. 

You talked with the women for a while, quickly making friends with all of them; even Karen. In fact, they talked so much that you didn’t have a chance to meet anyone else. Before long, everyone started to retreat into their tents for the night, leaving just you and Mary Beth at the fire. 

“(Y/N), you just sit here, I’ll go get you a place to sleep. I think Ms. Adler has room in her tent for you.” Mary Beth gave you a warm smile before dusting off her skirt and disappearing into a tent.

You hadn’t met Ms. Adler yet, but hopefully she was nice. Judging by the formal title, you guessed she was either older or not very close with the other girls since she wasn’t on a first name basis. 

Interrupting you form your thoughts, Arthur and Dutch emerged from the tent with a third man you didn’t know. The man had stringy blonde hair with a moustache to match it. He seemed to be arguing with Arthur as the group moved over to you. 

“She can’t stay here Dutch. Who knows what other ‘poor lost souls’ Arthur will drag in here next? We don’t know nothing about her! We don’t need another mouth to feed!”

You felt your stomach drop at the conversation. That last thing you wanted was to cause a commotion. 

Arthur defensively came to your side as the group arrived at the fire. “Dutch, she saved my life. She’s a damn good shot too. Should’ve seen how she handled those wolves.” 

Dutch was silent as he listened to the two men fight as if he was making his decision. 

“Please,” You interrupted, “I didn’t mean to start trouble. If me being here is a problem, I can leave.”

“(Y/N), it’s alright. We ain’t kickin’ you out.” Arthur gently assured you. 

“Well we damn should!” The new man interjected and roughly grabbed your arm, ready to yank you to your horse. As his hand clamped around your arm, you couldn’t help yourself when a small scream slipped past your lips. 

At the scream, the man immediately let go and looked at you in surprise. 

“Micah you piece of shit!” Arthur snarled and roughly shoved him away before pulling you close to him protectively. 

“That’s enough Micah.” Dutch snarled as well, venom lacing his voice. “Get away from Miss (Y/N) and stay out of my face. I don’t want to see you until you’re sober in the morning.”

The man that must’ve been Micah stormed off into the woods, leaving you alone with Arthur and Dutch.

“You okay (Y/N)?” Dutch asked as you cradled your arm to your chest.

You nodded your head and bit your lip to keep from whimpering. Your arm was still screaming from Micah’s sudden grip and you were pretty sure your wound had reopened now. Dutch seemed to notice too as he saw the white fabric of your long-sleeved shirt turning red.

“Is that..blood?” Dutch asked incredulously.

At the mention of blood, Arthur quickly moved to face you and look at your arm. His eyes widened when he saw the red stain on your shirt and his face grew dark.

“I’m gonna kill that son of a bitch.” He growled.

“Wait no, it’s okay.” Your voice caught in your throat a little as you tried to keep your voice level. “He didn’t do this.” 

Arthur frowned and shared a look with Dutch before focusing back on you. 

“I was…bit by one of those wolves back in the Grizzlies.” You admitted quietly. 

“You…what?” Arthur asked in surprise. “Why didn’t you say anything?” 

You almost laughed at the question. “I didn’t think it was a big deal. I mean, you were bleedin’ out and needed the medicine, and I figured I would be fine if I kept it clean and-”

“You saved that medicine for me?” Arthur asked, but now he seemed more upset than he was confused.

“Well... yeah. You needed it more.” 

Arthur and Dutch stayed quiet for a moment, taking in the information. 

Before long, Dutch gently placed a hand on your back and began to guide you over to Arthur’s tent. “Arthur, why don’t you help Miss (Y/N) get this cleaned up? I’ll go wake Ms. Grimshaw.” 

Arthur didn’t need to be told twice. He took Dutch’s place beside you gently leading you over to a small bed in one of the tents. 

You sat down and looked at your arm pathetically. You certainly made a first impression here, but it wasn’t the one you wanted. “Arthur,” You tried, “I can clean this, you really don’t have to.” 

“(Y/N), please.” Arthur’s words came out as more of a demand than a plea. 

You quietly nodded and rolled up your sleeve, understanding. Your arm was red and swollen around the wound, fresh blood slowly seeping out.

Arthur was silent as he doused a clean rag into water before gently dabbing it along your injury. He was mad at himself that he hadn’t realized sooner. It made sense now, why you had wanted him to take the reigns on the way back. How could he have been such a damn fool? 

A small hiss escaped your lips as he touched a sensitive area and Arthur mumbled an apology. 

“You’re alright.” He assured you before setting the rag aside. “Your damn heart is gonna get you killed someday, but it’s not gonna be today.” He gave you a faint smile.

“I’m sorry.” You started quietly, “for not telling you.” 

Arthur didn’t look up as he patted your arm dry, “Don’t think I plan on forgivin’ ya, but I understand.”

As he finished drying you off, and an older woman came into the tent looking groggy and slightly annoyed.

“I can take it from here Mr. Morgan, thank you.”

Arthur nodded at her and stood up. He took his leave, glancing back with concern one last time before disappearing into camp. 

Maybe you should've just stayed at your cabin in the woods. Sure, there wasn't a whole lot of people up there, but that also meant there wasn't a whole lot of problems.


End file.
